The problem of the very recent past came back to haunt the Giants in their season opener, with their offensive line breaking down in a 35-14 loss to the Lions. It was not an auspicious start for a unit that was disjointed in the preseason and very much remains a major area of concern.

It’s a mishmash five-man group. Geoff Schwartz is on short-term injured reserve, forcing rookie second-round pick Weston Richburg to move in at left guard. With Chris Snee’s retirement, Brandon Mosley was supposed to be the new right guard, but Mosley’s back spasms forced John Jerry, a former Dolphins starter, to take over at right guard. J.D. Walton is the new center, and the former Broncos starter played in his first game in two years.

Jerry was in for 58 of the 60 snaps in Detroit. Mosley took the other two. Richburg played all 60 snaps in his NFL debut and held up. Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley did not have a tackle and no quarterback hits against Richburg. The Giants rushed for just 53 yards, though, and quarterback Eli Manning was sacked twice and hit nine times.

“I wish there was more continuity and consistency,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said Tuesday. “You’d like to see it played like a veteran line that can look at each other, don’t even have to verbalize and know exactly what the intent is as the guy you are lining up next to, but that is not the case right now.’’

This is the first time WR Rueben Randle began a season as a starter, and in his debut he was targeted just three times, had two catches for only 1 yard. It wasn’t much.

“I can only control what I can control, and that’s for me to block and get open, and that’s what I did,’’ Randle said.

Jason Pierre-Paul came off the field early with a neck issue, but X-rays came back negative and he was able to return. Coughlin said Pierre-Paul felt fine after the game and just as fine Tuesday morning. He will be able to practice this week but might be limited.

The injury news is not expected to be as promising for punter Steve Weatherford, who suffered a high ankle sprain in his left leg after teammate Jamaal McClain accidentally blocked Lions rookie Jerome Couplin into him. Even though he punted three more times in the game, he is not likely to be able to kick Sunday against the Cardinals. Veteran punters available include Mat McBriar, Sav Rocca, Zoltan Mesko and Brian Moorman. Former Giants draft pick Matt Dodge also is out there.

Jon Beason, in his first game action coming off a right foot injury that kept him out of all five preseason games, was in for 43 of the 67 defensive snaps. He said he wasn’t helped by the “extra rigid, not really forgiving’’ turf inside Ford Field but was confident the trainers could get his foot to “calm down’’ in time for him to practice on Wednesday.